LEARNING MODULE (1.
3)
IN
PHYSICAL SCIENCE 11
OBJECTIVES:
1. define solubility, miscibility and polarity;
2. identify the different types of intermolecular forces of attraction;
3. explain how polarity of molecules related to its properties
Properties of Molecules based on its Polarity
What is It?
A. Polarity, Solubility, and Miscibility
One of the practical applications of polarity of molecule in real-life scenario is manifested on the
solubility and miscibility of substances to form solution.
Solubility is defined as the ability of a solid substance to be dissolved in a given amount of solvent while
miscibility is the ability of the two liquids to combine or mix in all proportions, creating a homogenous
mixture.
The general rule to remember about the solubility and miscibility of molecular compounds can be
summarized in a phrase, “like dissolves like” or “like mixes with like”. This means that polar substances
will only be dissolved or mixed with polar substances while nonpolar substances will be soluble or
miscible with another nonpolar substance.
Now I want you to try the exercises below in order to assess how much you have understood the
solubility (and miscibility) rule of substances in relation to their polarity.
Which of the following substances below will most likely mix with each other?
a. water (H2O) and chloroform (CHCl3)
b. benzene (C6H6) and chloroform (CHCl3)
c. water (H2O) and vinegar (CH3COOH)
d. acetone (C3H6O) and toluene (C6H5CH3)
e. carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) and water (H2O)
What chemistry concept did you used in answering the question above? If you answered polarity of
molecules, then you are on the right track. Great job! Benzene and chloroform are both nonpolar
compounds while water and vinegar are both polar compounds, thus they are miscible to each other.
However, the rest is a combination of polar and nonpolar molecules and therefore will not mix and
instead will form two layers even if shaken or carefully stirred.
B. Bond Strength and Physical Properties of Covalent Compounds
From the previous module, you learned the intramolecular forces of attraction, the attractive force that
binds atoms together. In this module, you will learn another type of attractive force, the intermolecular
forces of attraction (IMFA) which exists between molecules.
In this lesson, we will not discuss IMFA in so much detail because it will be tackled to you in the next
module. We will just focus on the following salient points of IMFA and its effect on the physical
properties of covalent compounds:
1. There are several types of IMFA and below they are arranged from
STRONGEST to WEAKEST.
Ion-dipole → H-bonding→ dipole-dipole→dipole-induced dipole→
London forces of attraction
2. The strength of IMFA greatly affects the physical properties of substances such as boiling point,
melting point, vapor pressure, surface tension, etc.
Before we move further, try to perform the exercise below to test your ability to analyze
concepts and principles that you have learned from the discussion.
Put a check (/) to those properties applicable for polar molecule.
___1. High boiling point ____7. High vapor pressure
____2. Low boiling point ____8. Low vapor pressure
____3. High melting point ____9. High surface tension
____4. Low melting point ____10. Low surface tension
____5. High volatility ____11. H-bonding & dipole-dipole present
____6. Low volatility ____12. London dispersion is present
How well did you perform in this exercise? Continue reading for you to find out the
correct answers for this activity.
From the above discussion you learned that there are several types of IMFA and their relative strength
as compared to other types. Strong intermolecular forces tend to yield solids and liquids while weak
intermolecular forces favor formation of gases.
Table 1 shows the comparison of the various types of IMFA while table 2 shows the
physical properties of polar and nonpolar molecules as affected by the type of IMFA
present.
Table 1. Summary of Types of Intermolecular Forces of Attraction (IMFA)
Type of IMFA Interacting Substances Examples
Ion-dipole Ion (cation or anion) and a polar NaCl dissolved in H2O; Ca2+ and
molecule PCl3
Hydrogen bonding Polar molecules containing H H2O, NH3, CH3OH
chemically bonded to a small
and
highly electronegative
nonmetal atom such as N,
O, and F
Dipole –dipole Polar molecules CH3F and H2S; HCl;
Dipole-induced dipole Polar and nonpolar molecules HI and CH4
London forces All substances and solely for O2, N2, He gas, Br2
nonpolar molecules and noble
gases
Table 2. General Properties of polar and nonpolar molecules
Polar molecules Nonpolar molecules
• IMFA type: H-bonding and • IMFA type: London dispersion
dipole-dipole
• exist as solids or liquids at room • exist as gases at room
temperature temperature
• High boiling point • Low boiling point
• High melting point • Low melting point
• High surface tension • Low surface tension
• Low vapor pressure • High vapor pressure
• Low volatility • High volatility
• Soluble in water • Insoluble in water
Let us define the physical properties of substances:
A. Boiling point: temperature at which the vapor pressure and atmospheric
pressure of a liquid substance are equal.
B. Melting point: temperature at which solid becomes liquid. At this point, the
solid and liquid phases exist in equilibrium.
C. Surface tension: energy needed to increase the surface area by a unit amount;
D. Viscosity: the resistance of the liquid to flow
E. Vapor pressure: pressure exerted by a substance in its gaseous state.
F. Volatility: measures the rate at which a substance vaporizes (changes from
liquid to gas)
In the simplest sense, boiling point, melting point, viscosity and surface tension increase as the strength
of intermolecular forces increases. On the other hand, vapor pressure and volatility decrease with
increasing strength of IMFA. London dispersion forces increase as the molecular mass of a substance
increases. Unlike in H-bonding, as the molar mass increases, the boiling point, melting point, viscosity
and surface tension decrease.
